coleopteran

American

[koh-lee-op-ter-uhn, kol-ee-] / ˌkoʊ liˈɒp tər ən, ˌkɒl i- /

adjective

belonging or pertaining to the order Coleoptera.

noun

a beetle.

coleopteran British

/ ˌkɒlɪˈɒptərən /

noun

any of the insects of the cosmopolitan order Coleoptera, in which the forewings are modified to form shell-like protective elytra. The order includes the beetles and weevils

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

of, relating to, or belonging to the order Coleoptera

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

coleopteran Scientific

/ kō′lē-ŏp′tər-ən,kŏl′ē- /

Any of numerous insects of the order Coleoptera, characterized by forewings modified to form tough protective covers for the membranous hind wings. Coleopterans include the beetles, weevils, and fireflies.

Etymology

Origin of coleopteran

First recorded in 1840–50; Coleopter(a) + -an

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023